Brain Exercise and Addiction Trial (NCT04902092) | Clinical Trial Compass
CompletedNot Applicable
Brain Exercise and Addiction Trial
Australia65 participantsStarted 2019-01-23
Plain-language summary
Heavy cannabis use is associated with substantive learning and memory impairments and elevated risk of psychopathology. It has been repeatedly demonstrated that the hippocampus, centrally implicated in these processes, is particularly vulnerable to the deleterious effects of prolonged exposure to cannabis. This deterioration of hippocampal structure, function, and biochemistry can be reversed, but this requires two or more years of abstinence from cannabis. However, most heavy cannabis users find it extremely difficult to maintain abstinence over extended periods and current treatments for cannabis use disorders are inadequate. There is a pressing clinical need for an intervention that rapidly accelerates hippocampal recovery, ameliorates the associated cognitive impairments and mental health symptoms, and leads to improved treatment outcomes. One promising candidate is physical exercise. In addition to the well-known physical health benefits, regular exercise also has a potent positive effect on brain health. The current study will investitive the capacity of two different neuroscientifically-informed 12-week exercise programs can restore brain health for heavy long term cannabis users.
Who can participate
Age range20 Years – 55 Years
SexALL
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Inclusion criteria
✓. Aged 20-55 years
✓. Voluntary and able to provide informed consent
✓. Fluent in English
✓. Current moderate - severe cannabis use disorder
✓. Major history of cannabis use (i.e. ≥3 days per week on average for ≥4 of the past 6 years)
✓. Capacity to tolerate physical exercise according to 'Fitness to Exercise'
Exclusion criteria
✕. Have a history of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, musculoskeletal injury or other condition that would preclude safe engagement in VO2 max fitness testing and/or regular physical exercise
✕. Severe claustrophobia, non-MR compatible metallic implant, or other contraindication to MRI scanning
✕. Lifetime history of significant neurological illness, or moderate - severe brain injury,